Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce  
                                                                                            (An Autonomous College Affiliated to University of Pune) 
                                                
                       Subject code                                                 Semester                 I         II     III      IV       V       VI   M.Com.   I                    II          III     IV 
                       Title of Subject                                                                                      Research Methodology   
                       (For F.Y. as appeared in the prospectus) 
                       (For S.Y. & T.Y. titles can be as per the                     
                       approval of BOS) 
                       Objectives                         1.  To help the students generate ideas for research, as well as develop hypotheses 
                                                                 and operational definitions for variables. 
                                                          2.  To help students understand the basic steps in scientific research. 
                                                          3.  To equip the students with the basic information and knowledge about test 
                                                                 administration and scoring, and interpretation of the obtained results. 
                                                          4.  To develop the spirit of scientific inquiry in the students. 
                                                          5.  To help the students understand the basic steps in psychological testing and 
                                                                 scoring, and interpretation of the obtained results. 
                                                          6.  To help students relate to the practical implications of the concepts and 
                                                                 theories. 
                           Unit                                                              Contents of the syllabus                                                                          Number of 
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Lectures 
                       1                  Title of the topic : SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 
                                          Contents :  
                                          1.1. Developing ideas for research:  
                                                  1.1.1 Cultural context,  
                                                  1.1.2 Personal experience,  
                                                  1.1.3 Literature: Theory and Research Review  
                                                  1.1.4 Internet. 
                                          1.2. Characteristics of the scientific method                                                                                                        14 
                                          1.3. Goals of research 
                                          1.4. Types of scientific research:  
                                                        1.4.1. Pure vs. applied,  
                                                        1.4.2.descriptive vs. analytical, 
                                                       1.4.3.quantitative vs. qualitative, 
                                                         1.4.4.conceptual vs. empirical 
                                          1.5. Research approaches: Experimental, inferential, and simulation. 
                       2                   Title of the topic : VARIABLES, CONSTRUCTS, RESEARCH PROBLEM AND 
                                           HYPOTHESIS 
                                           Contents : 
                                           2.1. Variables: Meaning, types. 
                                           2.2. Construct vs. concept                                                                                                                         14 
                                           2.3. Operational and constitutive definition of variables 
                                           2.4. Research Problem: 
                                                  2.4.1. Sources and types. 
                                                  2.4.2.Criteria of a good problem 
                                           2.5. Hypothesis: Meaning, types, and criteria. 
                       3                  Title of the topic : SAMPLING TECHNIQUES & RESEARCH DESIGNS 
                                          3.1. Basic concepts: Universe, sample and sampling 
                                          3.2. Sampling methods: Requisites and advantages                                                                                                     12 
                                          3.3. Types of probability & non-probability sampling  
                                          3.4. Sampling: Distribution and error 
                                          3.5. Introduction to research designs 
                       4                  Title of the topic : Doing Qualitative Research                                                                                                      14 
                                          Contents : 
                         4.1. Conceptual Foundations of qualitative Psychology 
                        4.2. Qualitative Research Design 
                        4.3. Introduction to Methods 
                               4.3.1.Grounded Theory 
                               4.3.2 Interpretive Phenomenology 
                               4.3.3 Case Study 
                               4.3.4 Discursive Psychology 
                        4.4. Quality in qualitative Research 
                                                                                 Total Number of Lectures       54 
             Suggested Reference Books: 
             1.  Zachmeister, J.E., Zachmeister, E.B., and Shaughnessy, J.J. (2009). Essentials of research 
                 methods in psychology. N.D.: Tata McGraw-Hill. 
             2.  Mishra, B.K. (2008). Psychology: The study of human behavior. N.D.: PHI Learning. 
             3.  Singh, A.K. (2006). Tests, Measurements and research methods in behavioural sciences.Patna: 
                 Bharati Bhavan. 
             4.  Kerlinger, F.N. (1995). Foundations of behavioral research. New York: Rinehart 
                 Winston. Inc. Surjeet Publications. 
             5.  McBurney, D.H. and White, T.L. (2007). Research methods. US: Cengage 
             6.  Kothari, C.R. (reprint 2009). Research methodology: Methods and techniques. New 
                 Delhi: Wiley Eastrn Ltd. 
             7.  Chadha N.K.(2009),Applied Psychometry,Sage Publication Pvt Ltd.New Delhi. 
             8.  Smith J.A.(2007), Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Research Methods, Sage 
                 Publication Pvt Ltd.New Delhi. 
             9.  Willig C. (2001), Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology: Adventures in theory and 
                 method, Open University Press, Great Britain. 
             Suggested Journals  
                 1.  Psychological studies  
                 2.  Journal of Applied psychology 
             Web sites :  
                 1.  Jstor.com  
                 2.  science direct.com 
         
        Research methodology consists of quantitative as well as qualitative research methods which are both integral parts of 
        the discipline. The recent research trends point in the direction of mixed methodology which uses both of the above 
        research methods as complementing each other to form a holistic research approach. Students who are initiated into 
        research, especially in the field of Psychology, need to be exposed to both of these types and introduced to the different 
        contexts in which each of the type is relevant and prescribed. After all, Psychology, by definition, is an art and a science. 
        This makes it important to include an introduction to qualitative research and an orientation of mixed methodology in 
        the syllabus of Research Methodology.